Apparatus for loading and unloading ingots



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P. LE BLOND. I I A'EPARATUS FOP. LOADING AND UNLQADING INGQ'IS, No.360,028.-

Pate nted Mair. 29,1887.

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. P. LE'BLQND. APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND. UHL'OAD- II I'G I I IGOTS;

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v F. LE BLOND. APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING INGOTS.

No. 360,028; Patented Mar; 2 9, 1887.

7/1/1252 ass 63.

UNITED ST TES FRANK LE BLOND, or JOLIE'I, ILLINOIS;

PATENT OFFICE.

AIBPARATUS FQRLOADING ANISK'U'NLOQADING SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent H 0. 366,028,,deitedMarch 29, 1887.

- Application filed December 29. 1886. Serial No. 222,936. No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FRAN LE BLOND, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,re siding at Joliet, in the county of -WiH and St-ate ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an-Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Ingots', of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in certain improvements in an apparatus forloading and unloading ingots on cars in a 'steeLconverting mill, theconstruction andv operation of-which is fully set 'forth and explainedin the followingv I 5 specificationand claims, reference being had -tothe drawings hereto annexed, and the let? ters and figures ofreferencethereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure1 is a plan view of the pit of a steelconverting mill, showing thearrangement of the'ingot-molds on their liftingbase-plates, and "alsoshowinga track and cars thereon'arranged on a corresponding curve withthat in which the molds are set, and leading from the bank into the pit.Figs. 2 and -8 are detail side views showing the arrangement ofthe'in'gotmolds on theirbase-plates and the mechanism for lifting andtilting the molds and the ingots therein. Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation of the for loading ingots and their molds on cars. Fig. 5 is'adetail rear viewof a pair of ingotinolds resting on a base-plate,andshowing the forked arms of a piston" attached to the lower side ofsaid plate for lifting and tilting it and the molds thereon. Fig. '6 isa cross-sectional vie of the pit track upon which the cars tr av 1. Fig.7 is a perspective view of oneof the base-plates for supporting theingot-molds. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the mechanism for 9 is a sideelevation of one of the hydraulic cylinders and an end view of a. traclgand guideway upon which saidcylinder .slidcs, it being a portion of-themechanism for removing the ingots from the molds.---- I Referring to thedrawings, A represents the pit of a steel-converting mill.

M represents the converting-vessels.

. from the converting-vessel to the ingot-molds.

pit shown in Fig. 1, showing the mechanism removing'ingots fromtheingot-molds; and Fig.

L is the ladle for carrying the molten metal B is a set of ingot-moldsarranged in a'semicircle convenient for the ladle L. P arebase-plates'for supporting and forming each the bottom of a pair ofmolds.

F are frames for the base-plates to rest upon. H are hydrauliccylinders, one arranged un derneath eacipbase-plate in a pit and con--nected with the base-plate above through the medium of the two arms G Gand the piston G, as shown in 'Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. The said platesPare provided on their lowerrearside "with two pairsiof ear-lugs, a a,as shown in said figures, to which the arms G G ofithef piston G arehinged by the bolts a. The said 65 cylinders stand in an inclinedposition, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that when the piston is down andthe plate]? lies horizontally on its frame F and covers the pit holdingsaid cylinders, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and-5, the

arm G will not be engaged with said plate;

O representsahydraulic crane'for operating the chain 0', for assistingto lift and load the ingot-molds B. I p

T represents a plate havinggrooves T, forming the track-for the cars D,which track extends in the pit and is curved to conform to the positionof the molds B, and'lies adjacent v thereto The track is made of a plateof metal, to render it easy to remove any spilling metal'that may fallon it, as it will not stick to the plate, as it might onand aroundordinary railsi The upper face of the base-plates P is provided with tworaised portions, P P, as shown in Fig. 7, forming the bottom of a pairof molds, which set down 'over them, as shown in Fig. 5. These raisedportions I" are convex', so they will form a concave surface on thelower end of the ingot when molded, so that when the ingot is bloomedits lower concayed v end will be square instead of convex.

O are lugs on the upper surface of said plates, for preventing .the moldfrom sliding ofl while being tilted'over andloaded on the car. In Fig. 1eight base-plates P are shown, and

- sixteen molds-two foreach plate.

It is intended that th'eladle L. will holdpne heat of theconverting-vessel M, being enough metal to fill eight'molds at eachheat, so that while eight are being filled the remaining eight may beremoved'with their ingots, and

after having the ingots removed be returned in time for the next heat.When eight molds areefilled and the metal is set, so that it will notrun from the mold, and it is desired to remove the molds for the purposeof removing the ingotstherefrom, while they are yet hot i the chain'O'(which isbranehed) hooks to 'two molds resting onasingle base-plate.Pressure is then let on both the hydraulic crane (3 forward under sideof said plate, as shown in Fig. 3, to support that side of the saidplate in that position. Further movement of said piston G lifts saidbase-plate and the two molds resting on it until said plate will beabout on I a level with the car D, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.When it reaches such posiy be returned and replaced on the base-plates.

tion,said piston is arrested and holds said plate stationary, while thehydraulic craneis caused to lower the chain and permit the mold to belaidover on the car to load it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, 80 t-hatitcan be removed from I the pit'to have the ingot removed, and then byoperating said crane and cylinder in a reverse manner. By this means theingot is prevented from falling from its mold while the mold is beinghoisted from the pit,'and can be removed from -the pit much sooner thanwithout the use of these base-plates.

The cars D, are small enough to pass 'under the ladleL, so as not tointerferewith it while it is filling molds. The hydraulic cylinders Hare-of the ordinary pattern, and hence no further description orillustration of them is necessary. The ordinarytracks, T, lead from the'pit up on the bank to the mechanism for removing the ingots from themolds, which mechanism is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In saidfigures W W area pair of guideways, upon which a hydraulic cylinder, R, is arranged to.

move horiaontally by means of its connection with the piston of thehydraulic cylinder R.

The water-pipes-S and S, and also S and S of the eylinderR aretelescopically connected, so that said cylinder may be'thus' moved.

In operation, the cars D, loaded with molds of thecylinder R will standopposite the end endto, move the cylinder R, as stated.

or an ingot. Pressure being let in said cylinder will cause said pistonto drive the ingot I out of its-mold and deposit it in a stall J, asshown in Fig. 8, the mold being held meanwhile by its contact with saidvplatform and partitions. f

The cylinder R is provided with the feedpipes M and M; to admit pressureat either In Fig. 8 the molds in one are shown as having had theiringots- I' removed, while those on the other car are in the process 0being removed. By this means of removing;

the ingots from their molds it becomes unnec; essary to remove the moldsfrom the, cars dnr? to wait until the ingots cool and shrink enough tobe easily removed from the molds is obviated, as the ingots are takenfrom the the molds, and thus their first heat is largely retained andutilized at their next heat. The

yet quite hot, and'the next heat from the comget cold, so that thedifficulty of chilling the sides of the ingots is obviated, as would bethe case were the molds cold when poured, and thus in working theseveral parts of this machine conjointly the result desired isaccomplished. V

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent,- is as follows, to witz- 1. In combination withthebaseplate P, the piston G of the.eylinder H, terminating in two reardiverging arms, G G, hinged to the extending arm, G, arranged a littledistance from said plate, when said plate is lowered to a restingposition, and adapted to engage and support the forward side of saidplate after the arms G have raised it to an inclined position,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the apparatusshown and described, "the pistons G of cylinders H,terminating in the. diverging arms G G and G, in combi. nation with saidcylinders and the base-plate P, substantially as and for the purpose setforth. 3, In an apparatus for loading ingots and their molds on cars,aba'se-plate forming the support for said molds, in combination with thepiston of a hydraulic cylinder, hinged to and arranged in an inclinedposition below said plate in such manner as to tilt forward and lift theingots and molds on said plate when pressure is applied to saidcylinder, and a hydraulic crane for steadying and lowering the upper endof said ingot and mold on a car, in the manner substantially as setforth.

4. In a steel-converting mill,.a series of ingot-mold-supportingbase-plates arranged in a semicircle within and adjacentt'o thebankwalls of the pit and resting upon frames for supporting said moldsin a' perpendicular. position, in combination with the pistons of aseries bf hydraulic'cylinde'rs hinged to and arranged below saidbase-plates, and the grapplechain of a hydraulic crane, operating as setforth, and a car-track arranged descending from the bank to-said pit,and adjacent to said base-plates, for supporting the cars upon molds arereturned to the pit while they are rear under side of said plate, and'aforward ing such operation? By this arrangement of the parts describedthe necessity of having pit when very hot and forcibly ejected fromverting-vessel is .poured into them before they which the ingots andmolds are loaded, subder H, substantially as and for the purposestantially as and for the purpose specified. specified.

5. In the apparatus shown and described, 7. In. the apparatus shown anddescribed, I 5 the combination, with a hoisting-crane, of the thecombination of sliding cylinder R, guides 5 base-plates P, hydrauliccylinders H, and W W, piston Z, pipes S S S S M M,'cyli nforked pistonsG of said cylinders, substauder R, piston t, and platform J, having thetially as and for the purpose set forth. partitions J, substantially asand for the pur- 6. In the apparatus shown and described, pose setforth. 1 the base-plate P, having the lugs 0 and raised FRANK LE 'BLOND. :0 portions P on its upper surface, and the ear- Witnesses:

. lugs a 01, depending from its lower surface, in THos. H. HUTOHINS,combination with-forked piston G andlcylin- WM. J. HUTOHI'NS.

